Pownceby out in first round

Convicted child killer Soulan Pownceby's controversial Commonwealth Games appearance ended in a first round defeat in Melbourne on Sunday.

The 30-year-old light-heavyweight, who was sentenced to four years in prison for the manslaughter of his five-month-old daughter Jeannette in 1995, suffered a heavy 33-19 points loss to Canada's Glenn Hunter.

The New Zealand fighter had needed special visa clearance to compete and although expected protests did not materialise at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, organisers were taking no chances with extra police and security laid on.

"What's done is done, you can't change the past," said his trainer Henry Schuster who dealt with the media after Pownceby refused to answer questions.

"I don't think the negative publicity affected him. The security was pretty good at the village and we were able to do our own thing.

"There wasn't any pressure. He knows what's going on around him."

Sunday's defeat was Pownceby's second major setback since his release from prison - he was also a first round loser at the Athens Olympics in 2004.